Travel is the chance to follow lifelong passions, to indulge interests and generally wander around filled with wanderlust at the beauty of all things new and novel. But you don’t want to be admiring the beautiful sharp teeth of a shark, the poisonous tentacles of a jellyfish wrapped around your leg, a heat wave or the wet waters of a flood or monsoon damping down your enthusiasm.
Some risks you can insurance against, others you can’t, so do your homework to make sure you avoid the worst times to travel and get travel insurance that will cover you for everything else.
Because Worldcare, really does care about your travel experience here are some of the most common mistakes travellers make so you can avoid the bad and get the most of the good experiences during your holiday.
If you are travelling to Australia avoid the beaches of Northern Queensland during the so called ‘stinger season’ which generally lasts from November to May. Visitors are advised to check the lifeguards’ instructions and swim in the netted zones, or wear stinger suits (a thinner version of a wet suit) to protect against potentially fatal jellyfish stings.
Sharks and crocodiles are also risks to be managed swimming in Oz. In the more southern beaches swim inside the patrolled areas and inside the shark nets. In the north make sure you look for signs that warn against swimming. There are a number of beaches where salt water crocodiles have made swimming dangerous.
Check your shoes for spiders and snakes before you put them on and sleep under mosquito nets to stay safe from the number of poisonous creepy crawlies Oz offers.
Know the seasons for both cyclones in the Pacific and hurricanes in North America so you lessen your chance of encountering one on your next holiday. The South Pacific cyclone season officially runs from November 1 to April 30 every year so there is plenty of time through the winter months to escape the cold in New Zealand and get to a tranquil beach.
In the Northern Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with some unhelpful exceptions so check your destination and the weather there before you book. Sometimes the package deals are too good to be true for a reason.
Monsoon season in South East Asia runs from June to October and starts a little earlier (April) in Phuket. Rain doesn’t necessarily make it a bad time to travel to Asia, generally the jungle is teeming and tourist numbers are down in rainy season so it can make your experience very intimate. But if you are wanting hours on the beach soaking up sun avoid the monsoon season.
Visiting the popular south Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam or Laos around their New Year celebrations will make for a busy and hectic adventure. So if you are wanting an experience that is cheaper and more relaxed avoid these major national holidays – ‘Songkran’ in Thailand, ‘Hari Raya’ in Malaysia and ‘Tet’ in Vietnam- as hotels and restaurants charge a premium.
In Europe the main dangers are pick pockets but you can still have some bad experience. Venice is hot and crowded in February and floods in November/December. Even though it is great travelling in the low season without the tourist crush you should time your trip to avoid the worst of the flooding or Aqua Alta as the locals call it, or alternately pack some heavy duty gumboots.
Snow storms are scenic but no fun when you haven’t got running water and your extremities are numb. Think about temperate ways to experience snow or the off piste lifestyle in Northern Europe or America. Other Artic issues to consider are moose and deer. They are lovely to watch but mating moose and desirous deer can make a massive racket and be rather dangerous for tourists walking about so consider that before you book a mountain adventure in autumn.
There are also some natural wonders you won’t want to miss when you travel– like the famed turtle breeding seasons in Mexico and Heron Island and whale watching in Kaikoura.
If you are privileged enough to be planning a trip to the Serengeti you obviously want to be there during the great wildebeest migration, one of the world’s most amazing wildlife experiences. The best time to witness the migration from the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is between June and August when around one and a half million wildebeest – along with hundreds of thousands of zebra and Thomson’s gazelle – gather and prepare to cross the Grumeti River.
The exact timing changes every year as it is a spontaneous event and influenced by the availability of grazing, so check with your Worldcare consultant as you don’t want to travel all that way and not see this ‘once in a lifetime’ event.
Take the time to discuss any concerns you may have with your Worldcare consultant who will be only all too happy to offer advice and answer questions to help make your trip a safe and incident free one. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) also regularly posts updates regarding the potential risks of travelling to certain countries or regions (Worldcare also reposts this information regularly on the blog). Consider MFATs advice before you make any decision regarding travel and check it is covered by your Worldcare policy.
If you are unsure if you are covered due to a Safe Travel advisory, call your Worldcare advisor, or refer to the Policy Wording for more details.
Worldcare wish you safe and happy travelling!